Mario Tennis Open

This is an entertaining but very superficial outing on the centre court. Camelot is far away from what made their GameCube tennis an instant classic.

The first couple of difficulty levels are complete pushovers, so anyone with previous experience should jump to the Hard difficulty level. Then the game comes down to accurately predicting opponents and taking advantage of their weaknesses. (Luigi is atrocious at returning "fish tile" power shots.) As with most games like these, maatching skills against computer-controlled opponents takes a backseat to human competition. Either way, Mario Tennis Open is pleasant, though it seems to lack any addictive extras or some hook to make it addictive.

A tennis game that seems unusually keen to hide its potential away behind superfluous control options and silly concessions. It's your best bet if you want a tennis game on the 3DS right now (better than Sports Island anyway), but not a patch on what you can find elsewhere.

It has all the modes you'd expect in a Mario sports game, but they're too trimmed down to make it a worthy purchase.

The simplicity that Camelot instills to make the game that much more accessible seems to take away from the what has made Mario Sports games so good in the past.

Mario Tennis Open impresses and disappoints, unfortunately, proving to not be the out-and-out champion many were expecting, yet still managing to offer enough familiar fun to engage fans of old and newcomers alike. Brace yourself for a brief single-player mode and remove all thoughts of serious tennis from your mind and it will not be too much of a let-down.

Mario Tennis Open feels a bit lifeless at first, simply because it doesn't give any other incentive for playing than to keep unlocking things and to just play more tennis.

Mario Tennis Open is, by definition, a regression of the series' splendid portable campaign. Lacking any sort of highly-acclaimed Career mode and bathed in an eventual sea of homogeny, it stales far too quickly for the good of its platform and price tag. This is Mario Tennis only in its most primitive and basic form.

The mechanics of Mario Tennis Open are fine and should have been the base for another excellent handheld Mario Tennis spinoff. However, aside from a few bright spots, everything surrounding the tennis feels uninspired and in particular those looking for a solid single-player experience will quickly grow bored.

They're gimmicks, sure, but good ones, rounding out another strong title for 3DS. [June 2012, p.126]

For those looking for a well-crafted, enjoyable tennis game, Mario Tennis Open will leave you satisfied. For those looking for a great Mario tennis game, you'll probably be left wanting more.

What the game lacks in ambition and depth, though, it makes up for in the ageless pleasure and pain of a finely-balanced multiplayer battle. The ability to dip in and out for a quick, engaging match is a compelling proposition on a handheld. But after seven long years, it's a shame there aren't bigger ideas to rally around.

Another good and solid entry in the long-lasting Mario sporting series. Perfect if you want some more of it… but if you expect something new, you'd better look somewhere else.

There aren't many new things and the options in single or multiplayer are limited. Still, this is a competent title with quality and capable of providing some fun.

One of those typical Nintendo games that won't be remembered for being innovative, but for using a proven formula where fun is the only priority.

Mario Tennis Open is surprisingly entertaining and the tennis mechanics entail more depth than what is apparent at first glance. The first four cups are ridiculously easy, but open up the Pro-mode where AI opponents are much harder, but Mario Tennis Open should be played against human opponents to lure out the most fun in arcade tennis.

Lack of variety and options is the most evident flaw of a game which has very little to offer. The gameplay formula is quite entertaining, but in the long run fun fades easily.

For the first time in series history, Mario Tennis Open offers full online multiplayer – both singles and (impressively) doubles. It also has local wireless multiplayer. Based on my experience, both modes work smoothly. This isn't the tennis revolution that some might have hoped for, but it's a solid new feature in a franchise that's built its popularity on slow, incremental improvement.

Although the special modes tire after a few dozen serves and the modes are a little shallow, despite the constant stream of unlockables, Mario and friends are still a blast to play with and letting your Mii join in on the fun is a natural evolution for the roster. As a package, Mario Tennis Open isn't a killer app, but it's another must-have title for 3DS owners.

With local or online play, and StreetPass features, the multiplayer side of Mario Tennis Open rivals, at last, the one of the home console versions. Sure, the usual RPG side we had on the portable versions didn't make the cut, thus diminishing the quality of the solo mode to some extent, but the AI quality and the collection side make up for it. With accessible yet deep gameplay, Mario Tennis will appeal to all Tennis fans.

While doing nothing really new and offering quite a few game modes, the new Mario Tennis from Nintendo is a game as addictive and charming as every other offer from the Japanese company.

Mario Tennis Open is light, comfortable fun, yes. This much is a given. But, like many franchises that have run for seventeen years or more, it raises the question of what, exactly, it's doing to stay relevant. How is it trying to be something that commands players' attentions in a sea of works fighting for their money and time? How is it justifying its existence, the resources that went into creating it? In Open's case, it seems the answer to all these questions is 'by being on the 3DS'. And that's really not good enough.

Mario Tennis Open adds a few nice feautures, like a Super Mario Bros-minigame and online multiplayer, but in its core it doesn't utilize the chances it has. The game shines when playing with others though, because the artificial intelligence is too smart (or too stupid) to use the special strikes-system.

Mario Tennis Open is a more pure tennis experience than it's predecessors, giving you a sense of control on the court. Unfortunately the game is still plagued with elements that leave you at the mercy of chance all too often.

Entertaining tennis action that proves both challenging and fun. Best played with friends. [July 2012, p.76]

There will rightfully be criticism for the slender single-player modes here, but the true worth of Mario Tennis Open is in multiplayer, both as the game's biggest strength and a quiet indicator of Nintendo's online handheld revolution.

Thanks to its motion control, online multiplayer, system of tournaments and its minigames this sport title that's been fairly executed is going to entertain you for a very long time.

While it's competent, it's also mundane, with little incentive for you to stick at it beyond the occasional bout of multiplayer with friends.

Technically sound, and with a few friends, there's definitely some competitive fun to be found. If you're willing to deal with the lack of a true singleplayer experience (beyond competing against AI opponents for cups) you'll likely enjoy yourself, though the omission definitively feels like a tremendous missed opportunity.

Mario Tennis Open's single player mode is fun for a few hours, but it will ultimately leave you wanting more. Thankfully, the multiplayer mode with its online functionality will keep you coming back well after you've plowed through the main course.

This might not be the heftiest title in the 3DS line-up content wise, but there's still plenty of fun to be had here.

Mario Tennis Open doesn't redefine the genre completely, but it does a lot of things right. The controls are easily learned and in addition there are some minigames and unlockable content. It makes use of the 3DS possibilities and so Mario Tennis Open is a must have for all sport fans of Mario & Co.

It's good at its core, but it could have been so much more. [Aug 2012, p.74]

The game never embraces its Mario heritage, never allowing itself to break out of a more typical tennis mold to be something unique.

Like any title starring the famous plumber, Mario Tennis Open gathers all the impressive bases set by Nintendo. The absence of an RPG mode that fans were waiting for, will be difficult for Big N to explain, as much as the online features that only propose classic meetings to enjoy with friends. However, these minor problems are not enough to forget how good the gameplay is compared to the Gamecube version of the IP, Mario Tennis Open offering strictly the best. A newcomer Nintendo can easily rely on.

Mario Tennis Open is a game best taken in small doses. Playing tournaments, exhibition games, and the special modes can be great fun for a few matches at a time.

Seemingly average tennis arcade shows up as a perfectly playable and highly addictive, especially in multiplayer mode. [July 2012]

A somewhat simplified version of earlier games of the series. There are some fun mini games and unlockables, but overall there's distinct a lack of content. And where is is the challenge?

Mario Tennis Open is like Jessica Alba with a giant, puss-filled zit right on the tip of her nose. Its flaws are glaring and hard to overlook – a beginner-friendly control system that harms competitive online play for purists and, more crucially, a distinct lack of imagination.

The new Mario Tennis Open continues with his famous and funny arcade style. In addition you must try the multiplayer mode, is the best one in that videogame. On the other hand, the single-player mode is too short, but you can enjoy playing four different minigames that are available. In conclusion, it is just the newest Nintendo sports game.

It plays a great game of tennis, certainly the best on a Nintendo portable, but the feeble range of on and offline game modes sharply reduces its appeal.

While Mario Tennis Open is one of the shallowest Nintendo sports games we've seen, it's still highly enjoyable, well-polished and attractive, with Nintendo once again proving that it's the master of glasses free 3D. Worth a look for solo players, and definitely a must buy for multiplayer.

Camelot comes back after years with a new Mario Tennis, which is as fun as it used to be, and more realistic than the last one, but too oriented toward casual gaming. It's just too easy to strike the ball properly.

A summer game through and through; entertaining and enjoyable but it's longevity and difficulty could be improved.

The special moves might be a tad too powerful, but otherwise the plumber serves up a well-aimed slice of sporting fun. [June 2012, p.94]

There's no doubt that Mario Tennis Open is a strong and accessible entry in the beloved series, and a group of friends gathered round can lose themselves in it for a long time. Solo players can still have a good time perfecting their skills, and playing online is a nice way to keep things interesting, but the missing RPG mode leaves a pretty big hole that a lack of substantial single-player content struggles to really fill - and unless you're a part of a cabal of 3DS owners you'll miss out on the real heart of the game: punching your wily opponent in the arm after a hard-fought match.

For better and for worse, Mario Tennis Open is clearly meant to be a very accessible console-style experience on a handheld. [May 2012, p.84]

The biggest issue is that the single player experience just isn't all that deep.

It might not hold a candle to the handheld Mario Tennis games in the Game Boy lineage, but Mario Tennis Open is a still great game that is sadly hampered by a small feature set and harebrained online.

The music was too cutesy and grating for my liking (a complaint I have with many Nintendo sports games), and I would have liked the option to be able to turn it off, but keep the sound effects of the match. Still, I would rate it as a good go-to game to pick up for short periods, like the bus ride to work. Just make sure your headphones are firmly plugged in first.

This is no-frills Mario Tennis then, as undiluted and distilled as the series has been perhaps since the Virtual Boy. [June 2012, p.97]

Putting accessibility over its heritage, Mario Tennis Open is likely to win over more newcomers than returning players.

What little content is here doesn't reach the heights that it should. I can't remember the last time an otherwise superb game was betrayed so completely by a single mechanic. Instead of making the whole of Mario Tennis Open about strategically countering your opponent's volleys – a system which is fully and brilliantly implemented – Camelot has made it an afterthought.

Mario Tennis Open Series continues the tradition with a fun and enjoyable new chapter. Sadly, there is only a bit of innovation.

A great competitive mode for the return of Mario Tennis Open. A game for hardcore players, especially those who adore pure competition. Overall, although its new online options are great, it lacks some more single player content and we miss the excellent RPG mode the series had.

It's obvious that, when you're playing a sport game starring Mario, it's gonna be a fun. But there could have been meer content. Also the 3D effects aren't all that special. Don't forget to play the great mini game: Super Mario Tennis!